Miniature railway switch



June 25, 1956 A. COLLET-r MINIATURE RAILWAY SWITCH Filed Feb. 27, 1952 1N V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY MINIATURE RAILWAY SWITCH Anthony Collett, Verona, N. I., assignor to Colber Corp., Irvington, N. l., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 27, 1952, Serial No. 273,599

4 Claims. (Cl. 246-251) This invention relates to miniature railway systems and more particularly to such systems wherein two or more tracks are provided for the passage of railway rolling stock in simulation of a full-scale railway system. The invention is more particularly directed to miniature railway systems electrically connected to a suitable source of electric power. The object of the invention is to provide a switch for such miniature railway systems which may be used to readily connect the tracks to the source of power or to an accessory device. In one form of the invention, as described below, the switch comprises a pair of conductor points normally held in spaced relation and movable into engagement with each other responsive to the exertion of pressure on the switch unit, as, for example, by the weight of passing rolling stock, or by other pressure-exerting means. The invention provides a novel means for adjusting the conductor points so as to permit them to be moved together only upon exertion of a predetermined degree of force. A further object of the invention is to provide a switch of the device described wherein there are provided only two clips or similar elements to be wired to the accessory, or to the transformer or other source of current, thus simplifying the procedure of connecting the switch unit to the system at the appropriate point and preventing errors in use. In one form of the invention, the switch is provided with means to illuminate the same in a novel fashion combined with the above described means to readily secure the switch to and remove it from the tracks of the miniature railway system. A further object of the invention is to provide a switch device of the character described with a cover member adapted to be readily secured to or removed from the device. A further object of the invention is to provide a switch device of the character described including a dielectric sheet to which a rail bracket is fixed, said bracket having a pair of spaced upstanding fingers to receive the base of the railway track, a flexible iinger being connected to said sheet and having a free end disposed in spaced relation to said upstanding fingers and adapted to automatically snap into engagement with a second rail member to secure the switch thereto. The device may be readily removed by reversing the procedure.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear from the drawings and from the description hereinafter, are accomplished by the structure of my invention, of which certain practical embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. It will be apparent, from a consideration of said drawings and the following description, that the invention may be embodied in other forms suggested thereby, and such other forms as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered within the scope and purview of the instant invention.

In the drawings:

7 Fig. 1 1s a top plan view, partly fragmentary, of a switch device embodying the invention, shown secured to a 2,752,483 Patented. June 26, 195,6

2 miniature railway track system, the vlatter being indicated in dotted lines and fragmentarily,

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of a cover member which may be secured to the switch unit, taken on line 2-2of Fig. 3,

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view thereof, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a corresponding view of another form of the invention,

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the form of invention shown in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the conductor arm and block member used in the form of invention shown in Fig. 4.

As `shown in the drawings, the device of my invention comprises a switch adapted for use in connection with current-carrying rails, such as 11, 10, the device being equally applicable to a three-rail or other miniature railway system; adaptations to that end will be obvious to those skilled in this art from the present disclosure. The switch is adapted to connect the rails to a source of power or to an accessory unit by means of the clips 12, 13, to which the wires 14, 15 of the source of power or accessory device may be connected. One of the clips, as 12, is connected tothe rail 11 by means of a rail bracket` 30 having the `upstanding spaced fingers `31, 32 on which the said rail 11 is disposed, Vas shown. in Fig. 4. The-other clip, as 13, is connected to the lother rail 1.0 through the conductor point 17 `connected to the clip 13 Yand the `conductor point A16 connected to the spring strip 34 and flexible linger 33, the latter being adapted to engage the rail 16. In operation, iirst one rail is inserted between the fingers 31, 32 of they switch bracket y30, the free end 33 of the spring strip 34 being then snapped over the other rail 1 6. The exible linger 33 is preferably out turned as shown lin Fig. 4, and disposed in a guide slot 36 of sheet 25 so as to facilitate the manipulation thereof and application of the device as above mentioned. To disengage the switch from the miniature track section, the flexible finger 33 is moved out of engagement with the rail 10, whereupon the switch may be readily removed frorn the track. The first conductor point 16 is rigidly secured to the dielectric sheet 25. An elongated iiexible conductor arm 18 is rigidly secured to the opposite end of said sheet as at 19, theA latter point of connection also preferably passing through the clip 13 and being in the form of a rivet or other conducting material which will electrically unite the clip 13 and the flexible arm 18. A second conductor point 17, which may be in the form of a conductor rivet or the like, is secured adjacent the free end of the conductor arm, the parts being so proportioned that the first conductor point will normally be engaged by the free end by the second conductor point urged thereon responsive to the inherent tension of the conductor arm 18.

By the invention above described, it will be apparent that a complete circuit is provided from the clip 13 through the rail 10 and from the clip 12 through the rail 11. It will also be apparent that the device provides an extremely simple way, for example, of connecting an accessory unit by simply inserting the wire ends 14, 1S in the clips 12, 13.

The switch unit may be used as a connector device between the rails 10, 11 and the transformer or other power source.

A suitable cover 40 may be used for the switch with 0 depending ilanges 41 which are adapted to be compressed,

electric sheet 25 (Fig. l), the released iianges then serving to hold the cover in position.

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a miniature lantern 43 is secured to the cover 40, as by providing said lantern with a depending neck portion 44 to be positioned in an opening 45 of the cover. The lantern may be of any suitable construction. In a convenient form as shown in the drawings the lantern body is provided with an opening 46 at the lower end thereof and with a colored block 49 secured centrally therein; the lantern proper is preferably made ot' transparent or translucent material and an electric bulb 47 is secured to the sheet 25 as by means of the clip 48 which is connected as at 18 (Fig. 5) to the strip 34 which is coextensive with the length of the switch and is connected at one end to the clip 13 and at the other end is formed as the ilexible finger 33. The strip 34 may be rigidly iixed as at 16 so as to impart to it essentially the same characteristics as has the spring strip 34 and iiexible finger 33 as above described. The sheet 25 of Fig. 5 is also provided with a rail bracket 30 having upstanding fingers to receive and engage the rails 10, 11.

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 4 and 7, a ilat block of dielectric material 21 is secured to the free end of the iiexible conductor arm 18. A pin 26 is slidably disposed in a slot located in the dielectric sheet intermediate the first conductor point 16 and the fixed end 19 of the flexible arm 18. The pin 26 is provided with a curved head 27. When the pin is moved in the slot 20 toward the xed end 19 of the arm 18, it will engage the bar and displace the latter, thus spacing the contacts 16, 17 and opening the circuit between the clip 13 and the finger 33. The spacing of points 16, 17 will increase progressively with the movement of the pin toward the fixed end 19. It is thus possible for the user to predetermine the normal spacing of points 16, 17 and, by virtue thereof, predetermine the amount of force required to bring said points into contact with each other. To attain the latter objective, it will obviously be necessary that the free end of the arm 18 bend over the pin head 27 to bring the conductor point 17 up into contact with the point 16. The block 37 is preferably substantially smaller than the dielectric sheet 25 as shown in Figs. 7 and l.

ln normal operation, the block 21 may be disposed on a supporting surface and the pin 26 moved to that predetermined point in the slot 20 to effect the desired spacing of the points 16, 17. To further assist in this setting operation, spring means 38 may be interposed between the pin 26 and the surface of the sheet 25 marginally adjacent the said slot 20, as will be seen from an examination of Figs. l and 4. The mentioned marginal surfaces may be roughened as indicated at 39 to further cooperate with the spring 38 in holding the pin against accidental displacement. If desired, however, instead of the specific arrangement described, the pin may simply be provided with a threaded nut to engage the shank of the pin which vwould be correspondingly threaded, the nut bearing upon the surface 39 instead of the spring 38. The surface 39, in such case, may be left smooth. Other means 'to the same end may be used, if desired. It will be apparent that when the pin 26 is located at such point in the slot 20 as to separate the conductor points 16, 17, the switch will be closed only at such intermittent times as there is suiiicient pressure exerted on the tracks 10, 11, to cause the arm 18 to iiex to the degree required to bring the conductor points 16, 17 into contact with each other. Thus, there is provided a simple automatic means for controlling the actuation of an accessory device. Alternatively ,the device may be used as a closed switch when the pin 26 is located at the end of the slot 20 adjacent the point 16, as indicated in Fig. 4, or when the form of device shown in Fig. 5 is used.

The switch of the present invention is designed for use with any miniature railway system powered by electricity or similar energy source in circuit with the rails such as 10, 11 (or to a S-rail system). In the case of a Z-rail system, such as shown in Fig. 1 (the adaptation to a 3-rail or other system will be obvious therefrom), one of the rails such as 11 would be connected by bracket 30 to terminal clip 12 for one electrical connection; terminal clip 13, points 17, 16, and finger 33, engaging rail 11 provide the other electrical connection. When the pin 26 is disposed in the slot 20 past that point at which its head 27 contacts the flexible arm 18 sutiiciently to separate the points 17, 16, the second mentioned electrical connection will be broken and the switch will be in open position. When the pin, however, is moved in the slot so as to be clear of the arm 18, as shown in Fig. 4, the points 17, 16 will be in contact and the switch will be closed. In the construction shown in Fig. 5, clip 13 is connected directly to the iinger 33', providing a constant second electrical connection, the switch then being a closed switch. In the form shown in Fig. 5, light rays emanating from the lamp unit 47 pass upwardly through the opening 45 in the cover and thence through the diffusion block 49, to provide a constantly lit lantern effect. It will be apparent that by enlarging the switch construction shown in Fig. 4, a lamp unit such as 47, 48 of Fig. 5 may be secured directly to the point 16 in which case, of course, the lantern 43 would be illuminated only at such times as the points 17, 16 are brought into contact with each other, providing the same eifect as is attained in the case of an accessory connected to the switch unit of Figs. 1 and 4 through the clips 12, 13.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A switch for connecting current-carrying rails of a miniature electric railway system to an electrical unit, said switch comprising a dielectric sheet, a rst conductor point secured to and depending from said sheet and adapted to be connected to a rail, a flexible conductor arm disposed beneath said sheet and rigidly fixed at one end thereof to said sheet at a point spaced from said first point, said arm being elongated to extend from said fixing point to the first point, with the free end thereof disposed in registry therewith, a second conductor point at said free end of said arm normally in contact with said first point and normally spaced, by such contact from the sheet intermediate the first point and the point of rigidly securing the iiexible arm to the sheet, whereby said free end of said arm will normally support the weight of said switch, said sheet having an axial slot therein intermediate the fixed end of the arm and the iirst mentioned point, and a pin extending through said slot and slidably disposed therein, said pin having a head on its lower end and beneath the slot and adapted to engage the flexible arm on movement of the pin in said slot and toward the fixed end of said arm, to space the first conductor point from the free end of the arm, said spacing increasing -progressively with movement of said pin toward sail iixed end, thus spacing the contacts and electrically disconnecting the rails and switch and holding said contacts so spaced until Weight is imposed on said rails as by a train car passing over said rails, causing the exible arm to bend over the said pin head to bring said free end into contact with the first conductor point.

2. In a switch as set forth in claim l, a iiat block of substantially smaller dimensions than said sheet, secured to said free end of the arm for disposition on a surface to support the switch.

3. In a switch as set forth in claim 1, spring means between said pin and sheet frictionally engaging the same to hold said pin against accidental displacement.

4. In a switch as set forth in claim l, a rail bracket adapted to be connected to an electricai current source fixed to said sheet, to receive a railway track, and a iiexible finger connected to the rst point and having a free References Cited in the flle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fink Apr, 22, 1924 6 Becker Mar. 2, 1926 Becker Dec. 9, 1930 Rosenthal Jan. 8, 1935 Marx Mar. 31, 1936 Bonanno Sept. 6, 1938 Frisbie July 18, 1950 

